Pin Trading - Information

Disney Pin Trading is such a brilliant thing when you think about it. The idea here is that you, the Disney fan, will want to collect various Disney themed pins and stop at nothing to complete your collection. I should mention that the brilliance in this plan is on Disney's side, not the consumer's side.

That's right, in classic and modern day Disney fashion, Disney created a "thing" that many fans will want just because it's Disney and they'll pay a huge price to get that "thing". In this case, that thing is the pin and there are zillion of styles of pins to collect. Why do people want them? Because Disney told them they had to have them and thus became the craze that is pin trading.

It's gotten so big that Disney has tons of stores and trading areas just for this collectible hobby. Single pins range in price from around $8 to $15 each though you can also buy them in groups at cheaper prices. Regardless, it's a lot of money for a tiny little "thing" that you collect (or wear).

It's amazing to see just how well this marketing ploy has taken off over the years. It's even more surprising to see how some of the special edition pins have shot up in price with some fetching a couple of thousand dollars each!

Now, before you run out and start collecting know that pins that go up in value are the exception and not the rule. Many collectors are buying them and keeping them in mint condition with the idea that this will be their retirement nest egg. Hate to burst your bubble but that's not going to happen, this isn't your ticket to riches. I mean, we all remember Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch Kids, right?

Today, the fad is still there but feels like this hobby peaked out years ago and is on a downhill swing. Disney seems to be trying to find the next big thing, like the Vinylmation figures for example, but pins will probably be around for a while still. After all, if people are still willing to pay $8 for a hunk of metal that was made in China for pennies why not profit from it!

As for the trading part of this story, many people will either wear their pins on a lanyard (which Disney is happy to sell you) and then trade them with other park guests or Cast Members or even bring in binders full of them to trade at designated spots in the park or at conventions.

Am I being too negative here? Fine, on the positive side it can be a fun hobby for kids and Cast Members are more than happy to take time to trade pins with kids who want to trade. So if your kid is looking for a hobby this is one way to go, but it adds up quick and often fades after they leave the parks.